Process of circulating hot water in a hot-water heating system.



J. ELGER.

PROCESS OF CIRCULATING HOT WATER IN A HOT WATER HEATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. Is. 1912.

1. 185,892. Patented June 6, 1916.

JosErHnLenR, or oHroAeo, ILLINOIS.

rRooEss' or cmoonarme nor Warns m n HOT-WATER HEATING SYSiEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application'filed Noveinber 1s, 1.912. SerialNo.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH ELGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chi,

cago, in the county of Goolr and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Processes of Circulating Hot later in a Hot-Water Heating System, of which the following is a specification.

. The objects of the invention are to cause. a more uniform distribution of heated wa.

ter in the-radiator, therebyeconomizing the heat energy, and to prevent freezing of the water when the water level within a radiator falls below .the intercommunicating passageway at the top of the radiator sections.

An apparatus by which the invention may becarried-into effect, is illustrated in the.

accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1' is a diagrammatic view showing.

the hot Water system. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing one form of reducing devlce separate from the racllator. Fig. 3 is an on larged view in section with parts broken away showing the inlet end of one of the radiators.

Like numerals refer to like outthe several figures.

For purposes of illustration, I have shown a hot water heating system in diagrammatic rorm; consisting of a boiler 1- and a series of radiators 2; the boiler 1 is connected with the radiators 2'by means of the inlet pipe 3 and a return pipe 4. An expansion tank 5 is connected with the system by means of a pipe (Sand is provided with an overflow pipe 7, which may lead to a drain or storage tank as desired. Each radiator 2 is made up of a series of sections 8, 8, 8 etc., connected together at the top and bottom, as illustrated.

In the ordinary construction of a hot water heating system it is dilficult to secure thorough circulation of hot water within the radiator. The failure to procure a thorough circulationpreventsthe radiator from being efficient and where but one stream of water fioWs through a radiator it is liable to freeze up in cold weather. g

If a stream of hot water is allowed toflow through the top of the radiator the tendency of the flow and movement of the Water is first through the top section, thereby causing theiheat energy to short circuit the bottom'portions of the radiator, and'afi'ec'ting-adversely the transmission of heat within the bottom portions of parts through ward movement the radiator a fr portions and then down the end .moves downward into. the

atented June 6, 1916. 732,030.

the radiator, as a consequence of which-the water therein becomes inert. The radiator, is more liable to freeze when the water circulates in'this manner, for the reason that if the level of the water falls below the top openings within the radiator the flow therethrough will stop. If a full stream of water is allowed to flow radiator the tendency of the flow-and outthrough the top portions of the radiator.

I find by practical tests that in order to create thorough circulation anduniform distribution of heated water in all portions of ee, outward movement of all of the water contained in the radiator sections" must be secured, .thus permitting the hot'water-to follow this outward movement of thecold or used water, and this cannot be properly done by the use of but one How, either through the top .or bottom of the radiator. I 1

In carrying out the process 'I provide means for introducing the hot Water into'the at the bottom thereof; and then radiator dividing the moving body of water into two or currents, one of relativelylarge volume volume. In vthis manner the larger or main current is first of the radiator. sections and downwardly through the remaining sections, the auxiliary portion or current-is directed at an angle with the .maincurrent andalong the bottom of the radiator, as herein shown.

directed upwardly through the through the bottom of af '65 of the Water is directly through the bottom from inlet to outlet, :Which affects adversely the flow-ofwa'ter and the other. of relatively small There is placed between the first section 8,

and the second section )8, a reducing device 9 provided with a small central-opening 10. The water leaves theradiator through the return pipe/1 and. returns to the boiler '1. I have vshown in the drawings aparti'cular construction for the purposes-of illustration in order to carryout the process and mflk my invention clear.

Itsuse and operationis as follows. When the system .is started up,- and radiators. aregfilled with cold water.

.The fire in :the furnace-then-heats the water in the boiler; .thisexpands' the 'water and causes vitto become lighter, thereby creating. an unbalanced state hot water-rises to thetop of the boilergand the cold water in the system, being heavier. bottom 10f :th

'in the system; the 1 the boiler, pipes w boiler through the return pipe 4 and presses the hot water upout of the boiler 1 through .=the inlet pipe 3 and through the inner portions of the radiators. By reason of the reducing device 9, which divides the water entering from the inlet pipe 3, into two currents, the main current is pressed up the section 8 of the radiator and the smaller current is pressed througli the opening 10 in the reducing device 9. The small current of water that is pressed through the opening 10 disturbs the water at the bottom portions of the various sections, 8', and 8", and causes an outward movement of the water therein toward the return out" let pipe el, by reason that the water leaving down the return pipe 4 is pressing the water therethrmigh and at the same time drawing therefrom. The water at the top of the radiator sections, due to the disturbed state and outward movementof the Water within the bottom of the scctions,-moves evenly downward in the sections and follows the outward moving water through the return pipe 4, thus insuring the hot water from the section 8, easy access to the remaining sections of the radiator and establishing a continuous flow therethrough and through the return pipe 4 back to the boiler 1.

It will further be seen that when operation first takes place the hot Water follows the cold water through the radiator sections, and thereafter [it continues to follow the used water through the radiators so long as proper fire is'maintained in the boiler.

The reducing device 10 herein show;- can be used to produce the descriher 3' 4 circulating hot water in old systems, at a small expense. The reducing device is made to pass into the bottom inlet openir o the radiator and it is wedged into the as of the bottom communicating nipple on supply side of the radiator. l find when the method of circulation is u l in old plants the radiator operates much mo efficiently and it saves in nmintcnanma further find that'new plants may he lIl-- stalled at a much exper 'Having thus described claim:

The method of circulating hot water through a radiator of the type disatlosci'h which consists of dividing the moving hod of 'ater, on the supply side of the radiator, into two currents, one of relatively large volume and the other of relatively mil yolume, directing the current of larger volume upwardly through the first of the diator sections and dowuwm'dly through remaining sections, and dire g the 1: rent of smaller volume through the radial r at the bottom thereof and in the direction of the outlet.

In testimony whereof ailix in; ture in the presence of two witnesses 12th day of November, 1312.

JOSEPH ELGER,

Witnesses MINNIE M. LmnnnAo, Drum A. Wnmnns. 

